


Together, My Love.

by assholeachilleus



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Angst, F/F, M/M, Major character death (permanent)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:33:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26445658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/assholeachilleus/pseuds/assholeachilleus
Summary: This was inspired by a Tumblr post about how Nicky and Joe would feel once Andy told them about Lykon and how they were immortal, but they could die. Nicky decides he would rather Joe die first, because he has already caused him enough pain. It's kinda angsty but also sort of a happy ending.
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Comments: 9
Kudos: 100





	Together, My Love.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so I wrote this in twenty minutes on my phone notes n I'm not saying it's good but I needed to write it jkfjkj. These is major character death (permanent) in this so if that's not your thing maybe don't read??? Hope you enjoy.

Ever since Andy had told them the story about Lykon, Nicolò had been quieter than usual. They were laying on a shared cot, Yusuf holding his love close to his chest, but he could tell from Nicolò's taught shoulders and erratic breathing that he wasn't asleep. 

The words hung heavy between them like the grey tendrils of smoke drifting up from the dwindling fire. Andy and Quyhn were asleep across from them, wrapped up in each other, sleeping soundly. Even though Nicoló couldn't physically be pressed any closer to him, Yusuf had never felt more far apart. He nuzzled his cold nose into the back of Nicolò's head, and felt more than heard his answering sigh. The silence was threatening to choke Yusuf. 

"Nicoló," He started, in a soft voice he only reserved for his husband. But he had no idea what to say. Yusuf usually had no issue finding words, poetry fell from his mouth as natural as water over a ravine. As though Allah himself had carefully placed them there, dangling precariously on the edge of his tongue. A knife's edge away from piercing through and spilling blood. 

"I want it to be you." Nicoló's voice was flat, barely audible over the occasional cracking and popping of the fire. Yusuf tightened his arms around his love. 

"What do you mean, my heart?" Yusuf moved back slightly as Nicolò turned in his arms. His eyes lacked their usual glint. His mouth was set firm. 

"I want it to be you." He repeated, moving to cup Yusuf's jaw, running his thumb lightly across the edge. "If one of us has to die first and not come back. I need it to be you." Yusuf could feel Nicoló's warm breath ghosting across his own lips. 

"You would wish me to go first?" Yusuf's voice was low, uncertain, his eyebrows pulled down. Nicoló smiled sadly, finding Yusuf's hand and slotting them together. 

"I do, my love." Yusuf's frown deepened. It had been a long time since they'd spoken about death. Even longer since they'd actually committed the act against one another. But Yusuf felt raw under Nicoló's gaze and he longed for his usual infectious optimism to return. They'd felt untouchable before. Invincible. But now Yusuf felt startlingly human. 

Nicoló took a deep breath. He refused to meet Yusuf's worried gaze. "I need it to be you, my love. Because I cannot cause you any more harm. I cannot have you in pain. You always tell me I am your heart. Your moon when you are lost and your warmth when you are cold." Nicoló swallowed hard and his eyes shone with unshed tears. Yusuf felt clarity wash over him with a shiver that violently danced across his spine. "And what would you be, left in darkness, alone." His voice turned firm. "No. I will not have it. You will not suffer like that." 

A breath rattled in Yusuf's chest. His chest ached. Nicolò was prone to short sentences. He wasn't one for waxing poetically. He was to the point. Sharp as the blade of a knife and just as deadly. 

"Oh, my love. Oh, my heart." He reached for Nicolò, grasping the loose material of his worn shirt. "You are too kind for this world." Nicolò opened his mouth to argue but Yusuf's tone was firm. "No. Your heart overflows with a kindness of which neither I or the world are worthy of." A light blush dusted across Nicolò's cheeks, barely visible in the low glow of the fire. "I do not wish to leave you, my life. But I do not think I could go on without you. It was destiny that we met. And I cannot believe the world would be so cruel as to part us in death." Yusuf's voice was high, pleading as though in prayer. 

Nicolò pressed their noses together. "Then we will go together." His voice was matter of fact and it made Yusuf laugh. As though they would have a choice. "If you were sent to me as a gift from God, then I will make sure he keeps his promise." 

Yusuf kissed Nicolò lightly. "We will be together in death. Just as we are in life, my love." He felt the weight lift off his chest as Nicolò shifted, pressing his back flush against Yusuf's chest. Together or not at all. 

Years later while fighting drug traffickers in some foreign country, Nicky thought of Yusuf's promise that night. As he lay on the cold floor, his bloody hand pressed against a wound that would not heal. Would never heal. The air was filled with loud gunshots, shouts, hazy and grey. 

Nicky felt his head swimming. His head ached, his heart hurt. How cruel that he would die here. Amiss a mass of gunshots and confusion. His eyelids heavy with each agonising second that passed. His hand slippery with blood. 

He startled as a body fell next to him. Yusuf. Nicky had never wished to see his husband in pain, but cool relief washed over him as he saw Yusuf's own wound, steadily pumping blood and stubbornly refusing to heal. 

With a last momentous effort, Nicky reached over and intertwined their hands. Joe rolled, pain etched deeply into his face with the effort. Slowly, ever so slowly, Joe pressed their noses together. 

Nicky sighed, closing his eyes as tears rolled silently down his pale cheeks. 

"Didn't I always tell you together, my love.”


End file.
